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How to leave a video message for your family

A simple, step-by-step way to record a message your family can watch when the time comes.

Before you record

Pick a quiet spot with good light, ideally facing a window so the light is on your face. Prop your phone or laptop at eye level. Charge it, and close other apps.

Decide who it is for

Picture one or two people in the room and talk to them. A message to everyone is hard to say. A message to "my daughter" is easy.

Choose a Playbearer

A recording needs someone to play it. Choose one person you trust, and a backup, so it never gets stuck. Tell them you chose them, so the invitation doesn't come as a surprise.

Record

1. Take a deep breath and press record.
2. Look at the camera, not the screen, as much as you can.
3. Say it once, all the way through.
4. Play it back. If you like it, keep it. If not, try again.

Prefer not to be on camera?

Record just your voice and add photos. The photos appear on screen while you speak, which can feel more comfortable and often lands just as strongly.

Keep a copy

It is a good idea to keep a copy of your own recording, and to tell your family where to find it. Your Playbearer can also download it ahead of time to play on any device.

A recording is not a will

A video can be a loving thing to play when a will is read, but it does not replace or change a will. Your will and your attorney have their own rules.